


A Shot in the dark

by Theloversthedreamersandme82



Category: Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears (2020), Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-09
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:28:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24091360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Theloversthedreamersandme82/pseuds/Theloversthedreamersandme82
Summary: Inspired bythis poston tumblr.The tarantula scene from the end of COT and a continuation of it, where things don't go entirely to plan*Spoilers*
Relationships: Phryne Fisher/Jack Robinson
Comments: 18
Kudos: 98





	A Shot in the dark

**Author's Note:**

> My first full length fic for the Miss Fisher fandom!  
> It's cheesy, but I've always liked cheese 😀  
> References to Jack's big hands and his hair are for rasperries-are-my-jam  
> Thanks also to doctoraliceharvey for proofreading  
> I haven't read a lot of the new Miss Fisher fics, apologies if this has already been done.

Jack leant back on the reclining lounge and sighed. His mind, and his heart, were racing to try and catch up with the events of the last few weeks. Only a few weeks ago he had believed Phryne Fisher dead, and now, she was in the tent next to him. He briefly entertained the idea of asking her to join him, but his tent was cramped, only really holding the chair, a few of his belongings, and a camp bed which was small and lumpy. He considered joining her in her palatial tent. But he was not so ungentlemanly to enter somewhere he had not been invited. He knew he loved her, with all of his heart, and there was a time, back in Melbourne when he believed that she loved him also. But time and distance had drawn a wedge between them, not to mention her marriage with the maharajah, and since she had flown back in to his life , during her own damn wake, they’d bounced from incredibly intimate moments to blazing arguments on a daily basis, without really settling into any sort of middle ground. He had told her once he could never be as liberal minded as she might like him to be, and however wrong his timing and assumptions were in that situation, the point still stood. A giant barrier between the two of them.

His breath caught in his throat as he remembered that painful car ride, where he believed, not for the first time, that she had died. He had been preparing to say a final goodbye to her, to go back to Melbourne, and somehow, get on with his life. _Was it better this way,_ he wondered? Her alive, but out of his reach?

He opened his book to read, but words zoomed past his eyes without meaning anything. After reading the same paragraph multiple times and nothing sinking in, he exhaled loudly, placed his bookmark inside the book and closed his eyes.

A shot rang out, echoing off the sand dunes and he leapt up. Immediately alert, he raced into the tent next to his, his stomach twisting at the thought of what he might find there. What he did not expect to find was Miss Phryne Fisher, standing on her bed, eyes wide, brandishing her gun. Her luxurious tent was lit by multiple candles and oil lanterns, and there were pillows and throw rugs and _was that a cow hide?_

“There was an enormous tarantula!” she breathed heavily

Jack dropped his gaze slightly to hide the smile that was threatening to appear on his face “You, uh… You shot a spider?”

Phryne’s eyes widened even further “No I missed! It went that way!” She pointed with her gun towards the entrance to the tent.

Jack’s head followed the direction she indicated, half expecting to see a giant spider scuttling out the tent flap. He turned his head back to her and reached out a hand to take the gun from hers. He licked his lips nervously as he was momentarily distracted by the picture she made in her full length satin nightdress and jacket, and inclining his head slightly towards the tent flap, headed back outside.

Leaning against a tent pole he counted to three, raised the gun into the air and fired. “Got it”

When he re-entered the tent, he placed the gun on the bed, and reached out his hands to help her off the bed.

“It’s my only fear Jack.” Phryne explained “Apart from spending a long-distance flight with Aunt Prudence” She didn’t let go of his hands and Jack took this as encouragement.

“I don’t think that’s true” he challenged her

“No? What else am I afraid of?”

Jack swallowed. Here it goes “Me.” Her face was so close to his that with just a slight incline of his head, his lips would meet hers, but he continued on “You’re afraid if you fall in love with me, I’ll turn you into a policeman’s wife and try to stop you from saving the world”

She looked deep into his eyes “Well, it can’t happen. I’m already a married woman”

Suddenly Jack knew exactly what to say. The words came tumbling out of his mouth directly from his heart. He wasn’t urgent in his speech and she let him have the time he needed “I don’t need to marry you. I just need your heart.” He paused and the words that came out of his mouth next were barely a whisper, “Because God knows you’ve got mine”

There was a pause and Jack physically could feel his heart hurting as he awaited her response

Phryne blinked, her long lashes hiding the striking blue eyes Jack was losing himself in. Suddenly her hand was on his chest, burning a hole in his shirt “Jack…”

He swallowed nervously

“I gave you that a long time ago.”

He could feel her breath on his cheeks now, she was that close. Jack felt his heartbeat quicken as he took in her words.

“For a detective you don’t notice much.

They were so close now and Jack was drowning, in her eyes, in her perfume, in the whispered words from her lips. The lips that were inching so painfully slowly towards his. Finally their lips met, tentatively at first, and then as if wild horses could not stop them, they crashed together and a rush of warmth filled Jack to the tips of his fingers.

Phryne raised her hands to his shoulders and he felt himself crumble as she pushed his braces off his shoulders, their noses almost touching “By the way. There wasn’t really a tarantula”

“Good” he uttered as her hands found his shirt buttons “I didn’t really shoot one”

Phryne’s face broke into a grin and Jack couldn’t help but smile back as Phryne continued unbuttoning his shirt.

With the slightest movement they kissed again and Phryne felt her heart jolt. This was home, she realised, Jack Robinson. So different from any other man she’d met. She’d kissed a lot of men in her time, but she had never shared such a deep emotional connection with any of them before. She loved Jack. She loved him for his quick wit, his kind heart, his sharp eyes, for the way that he treated her as an equal. His stunning good looks were a bonus.

Phryne pushed her hand through his thick hair releasing it from its usual slicked back look and she gasped as his lips moved to her neck. She shrugged her shoulders and let the flimsy jacket float to the ground. There was no urgency in either of their movements, this was no rough and tumble between the sheets, this was a slow dance, of memorizing each other by heart.

She pushed the shirt from his shoulders and it fell to the floor and Phryne was able once again to appreciate Jack Robinson shirtless in front of her.

Her hands explored his broad chest and she smiled “You’ve been working out detective inspector”

Jack smiled “I had to do something with my evenings once I was no longer part of the furniture at Wardlow. Hugh’s been teaching me to box”

Phryne’s eyes shone “Oh I would pay good money to see that” she grinned at him cheekily, and her lips found his once more.

Jack’s huge hands roamed up and down her spine, and the feel of the luxurious satin of Phryne’s nightdress against Jack’s bare chest was sending his senses into overdrive. His eyes met hers.

“Phryne, is this really what you want? Me? Because if you are going to change your mind…”

His words were halted by a finger to his lips and he swallowed as her lips nibbled his collarbone. “Say it again” she urged

Jack wasn’t sure if he could, he was having a difficult time concentrating on forming words “What I mean to say, is…”

But he was cut off again and her eyes met his with such intensity he almost took a step backwards “No, Say my name”

His eyes darkened as her words registered “Phryne” he uttered helplessly

She grinned and pressed her forehead against his chest “You’ve no idea how much I’ve missed that. Hearing my name, in your mouth, not because I’m in danger, or in trouble, not shouted, but caressed gently, like a lover”

“Phryne" he uttered again. His voice soft and low "I don’t want to be ‘like’ a lover. I want to ‘be’ your lover.”

She looked at him softly “Jack. I love you. I am IN love with you. And I’ve never said that to anyone, ever before. I don’t know how much clearer I can be”

Her words made his heart beat violently in his chest. He felt sure it would come bursting out of his chest and explode, and he covered her face with soft kisses. She loved him. They were the words Jack had needed to hear, ever since she had flown away from him all those months ago. He should have told her then, but a goodbye kiss in the middle of an airfield, while being watched by her father was no place for a declaration of love.

The thin fabric of her nightdress was no barrier to his large hot hands and Phryne shivered as they covered her back. His fingers found the straps of her nightdress and as he slid one off of her shoulder his mouth claimed the now bare skin. He repeated the process with the other strap and the silky material fell to the ground.

Phryne stood there, naked and unabashed as Jack’s eyes roamed her porcelain skin. She was perfect in every way. His fingers trailed their way up her arms leaving goosebumps in the cool evening air of the desert. He pushed his fingers into her short hair at the back of her neck, and brought her face to his. Gently murmuring kisses he skimmed his lips down from her ear until finally joining her lips once again.

Phryne sighed into the kiss and felt herself melting into him. She pressed herself into his chest and the sensation of her bare breasts up against his naked torso made her skin tingle. She wound her arms up and anchored them around his neck and she breathed heavily as his lips touched to her collarbone, then lowering his lips to her chest, he pressed a kiss to the skin between her breasts. Phryne’s hand skimmed down his neck, across his broad shoulders and roamed down his muscled back. Everywhere she touched she left a hot prickling trail upon his skin.

Phryne stepped out of the fabric that had pooled at her feet, kicked it out of the way, and her hands went to the waistband of Jack’s trousers. Tugging slightly on them she stepped backwards, pulling him forward. Grinning she spun him around and pushed him on to the bed.

It had been quite a while since Jack had last been with another woman, but even with Rosie, he couldn’t remember smiling this much. He positively radiated happiness as Phryne climbed onto him and latched her mouth once more to his. As her hands made their way to the button at his waist, he felt her smile against his lips. Her hands brushed against the tented fabric in his trousers and his breath hitched in his throat.

“Phryne” he managed as she kissed her way down his throat “Phryne” he urged again

Her hands and her lips halted and she brought her face back up to his “Jack?” She met his eyes with a serious look “Is everything… ok?”

He cleared his throat “It’s… uh… been a while. Be gentle. Please?”

She stared into his eyes and she smiled “Oh I intend to take my time with you. Jaaack” she drew out his name as if playing with the sound of it in her mouth.

Jack felt like his senses were working overtime. The sight of her naked body, the sensual way she spoke his name, the feel of her skin against his, the taste of her tongue in his mouth and the scent of her perfume. He sniffed slightly. There was an unfamiliar smell in the air and he frowned. He sniffed again.

Phryne looked at him “Really Jack, I know I haven’t had a proper bath in a while but I just couldn’t fit the tub in my handbag. I did my best with a sponge bath earlier”

Jack tried his hardest to not get distracted by the mental image of Phryne giving herself a sponge bath. “No, Phryne. Something smells…” he sniffed again “like it’s burning?” he turned his head to one side and saw an unusual flickering light dancing up the side of the tent. Raising himself up on his elbows he saw the reason for both the burning smell and the odd light. The nightdress that Phryne had kicked aside, had landed in a candle and the fire was slowly making its way up the side of the tent.

“Phryne! Fire!” Jack managed. There was a flurry of limbs as they struggled to disentangle themselves. 

Jack made his way off the bed first and fairly yanked Phryne up behind him. Her eyes widened as she saw the fire, which by now had reached almost to the roof of the tent.

They ran hand in hand out the flap of the tent and Jack turned to Phryne with an accusatory stare.

“You and your god damned candles!”

“They were perfectly safe until you decided to undress me”

Her comment made him realise that she was still completely naked, and he dashed into his own tent and, grabbing a shirt and the blanket off of his bed, ran back out and threw it at her chest.

“Put the shirt on, and then see if you can beat out some of those flames with the blanket” he ordered and disappeared back into his tent. He came back out with the small basin he’d used to wash his face and hands in. Tipping the water out, he filled it with sand and ran back into Phryne’s tent. He tipped the basin of sand onto the burning flames as his eyes smarted and his lungs filled with smoke. Pushing aside the mat that was on the ground, he scooped up more sand and repeated the process.

Phryne for her part was beating the fire with gusto. She saw as the flame spread to the roof of the tent and the sides sagged. Her eyes darted to the tent flap “Jack! Get out of there! It’s going to collapse!”

Jack shot out of the entrance and dived at her, covering her body with his own just as one side of the tent collapsed. A rush of heat swept over them and Jack sprang up once more. As Phryne got to her feet, he assessed the fire.

“Actually, that’s done us a favour, it caving in on itself like that. It’s put out half the fire” he observed, then turned to Phryne “are you alright?”

“You really didn’t need to throw yourself at me like that” She softened “But… thank you”

Jack picked up the basin he had ditched sideways as he leapt at her “Let’s see if we can put out the rest of these flames. Then you can thank me properly” a smirk appeared on his face and Phryne hid a smile

They worked solidly for the next twenty minutes and finally there was nothing left of the fire but glowing embers. Surprisingly the other half of the tent still stood unscorched. Jack poured a last basin of sand over the final smouldering coals and sat back in the sand, exhausted.

“Well that was more of a mood killer than Aunt Prudence” Phryne joked as she poked her head through the flap of the tent to check the interior.

“Careful Phryne!” Jack called as she disappeared into the tent.

She reappeared moments later carrying a large trunk “Well I still have some clothes at least.”

Jack’s eyes trailed appreciatively over her lithe body in his thin linen shirt “You do look incredibly sexy in my shirt.” He stood as he reached out a hand which she took and he pulled her to him.

Phryne shot him a flirtatious grin “I’m sure I do, but I dare say I look more attractive out of it. And, _Oh Dear Jack_ ” Phryne feigned a scandalous look “There’s now only one bed! Whatever will we do?”

“Phryne” Jack began, “my tent is much smaller” he cleared his throat “I don’t think my bed will fit the two of us”

Phryne tucked her arms around his waist and kissed his chest “Oh come on Jack, It just means we might have to get creative” She looked around “Alternatively we drag some blankets and cushions out and sleep under the stars” She trailed her fingertips around the waistband of his trousers, stopping at the front button.

His hands stilled hers “Phryne” he warned

“Come on Jack” she looked around at the sparse dessert around them “Who’s going see us? The camels?” her saucy grin was undoing him “The only tent I’m really interested in, is this one here” She lowered a hand to stroke the front of his trousers.

Jack jumped at her touch as if a bolt of electricity had hit him and he began to harden in her hand. “Phryne!”

Phryne rolled her eyes “Fine. If you’re so shy, we’ll go to your tent” She captured his lips with her own and Jack felt her lips smile against his “Tomorrow night we will make love under the stars” she muttered against his lips as she pinched his bottom cheekily.

Jack reached down behind her and cupping her backside with his large hands, lifted her easily. She wrapped her legs around his waist and, cradling his head in one hand, pushed the other through his hair.

Their eyes locked and their foreheads touched together.

Jack closed his eyes “I love you, Phryne. With all of my heart”

“My Jack” she whispered as he carried her into his tent.

**Author's Note:**

> Apologies to any Firies out there cringing at my complete lack of knowledge of how to put out a fire. Just go with it 😂 Don't let a silly little thing like facts get in the way of a good story. lol.


End file.
